Thank you to everyone who helped makes Archbishop Thompson’s first visit to Christ the King last Sunday a memorable one! Thank you to Fr. Steve and Fr. Bonke for concelebrating the Mass with us. Thank you to our choir, musicians, servers, liturgical ministers and ushers for the beautiful liturgy. Thank you to the staff and the members of our Pastoral Council and Finance Council for their special role in the Mass. Thank you to all who participated so fully and actively in the liturgy. We also extend a very special thank you to the members of the Parish Engagement Committee for arranging the beautiful reception following the Mass.

With our liturgies this weekend we return to Ordinary Time in our Church Year. While these weeks are called ‘ordinary’ there is nothing ordinary about them. Following our celebration of the Christmas mysteries we are challenged in the weeks and months ahead to truly live what we have celebrated in the past weeks. In Jesus God has revealed the height and depth and breadth of his love for us. We are called to live and grow in this love. No small task!

Hopefully, our parish’s New Year’s Resolutions will help us to grow in this love of God. Please remember the resolutions:

Be on time for Mass;

Make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament each week of the New Year;

Celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation at the beginning of the New Year.

To help facilitate the first resolution, most families would do well to make plans to leave home for Mass at least ten minutes earlier than they are currently doing.

To help facilitate the second resolution, please remember that parishioners of Christ the King have access to our Blessed Sacrament Chapel 24 hours a day. If you are in need of the code to enter the chapel, please call the parish office.

To help facilitate the third resolution, the Sacrament of Reconciliation is available each Sunday of January at Christ the King from 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

This weekend we begin Children’s Liturgy of the Word at Christ the King! Thank you to Cindy Flaten and all of the volunteers who have stepped forward to make this program possible for children 3 years of age through second grade. During the Liturgy of the Word at the 10:00 a.m. Mass on Sunday the little ones will be invited to leave the assembly to hear the Gospel proclaimed in a way that young ears and hearts can understand. Jesus tells us, “Let the children come to me!” Children’s Liturgy of the Word is a beautiful way for us to respond to this invitation.